VISIONS Service Adventures

VISIONS Service Adventures: Galapagos

Program Details

Community service and outdoor adventure program for teens ages 14 to 18 set in the Galapagos Islands.

Location:

Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

Program Type:

Volunteer Abroad

Degree Level:

High School

Work Types:

Animals, Construction, Environment, Social Services

Duration:

3-4 weeks

Program Overview

Program Description:

Venture 600 miles west of Ecuador to where three ocean currents meet, seismic and volcanic activity shapes the land and the diversity of species inspired the theory of evolution. The Galapagos Islands are a global treasure under threat. Live and work on a permaculture farm in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island to help establish sustainable tourism alternatives. Snorkel with sea lions and observe blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and giant tortoises. Practice your Spanish while expanding your view of the natural world on our Galapagos teen service trips.

Service projects in the Galapagos help with environmental and social needs. Work on an environmentally sustainable, organic permaculture farm in the mountains of Santa Cruz. Plant cacao and green bananas (which are used in Ecuadorian cuisine—try some patacones to get ready!) Farm projects include cleaning the crop areas and planting new crops, building composting bathrooms, creating a mixed-medium welcome mural, building wood platforms for dwellings and making an extractor for essence of guava. Work at a school in the village of Santa Rosa, playing games with the kids and teaching English. Join local teens with Frente Insular to clean plastic and remove microplastics from the ocean.

In the mountains of Santa Cruz Island of the Galapagos archipelago, home will be Petrel Camp, an environmentally sustainable, organic permaculture farm. You will live completely off the grid with solar panels and a solar water heater. Learn about composting, alternatives to plastic, minimizing waste and consumption and how to live sustainably in creative ways. The farm grows coffee, bamboo, papaya, bananas, oranges, mangoes, pineapples as well as fruits that you’ve probably never heard of. Hundred-year-old giant tortoises wander through the farm, eating leaves, undisturbed and sometimes seek shade under solar panels.

Cost:

6,150 USD.

Additional Program Information

Requirements:

This program is for teens ages 14 to 18. Some Spanish language skills required.

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